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April, 2025

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Climbing Skins Direct

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blazeonyia
Posts: 365 - Karma: 1,451
Definitely a plug but I'm not affiliated with this company. Just figured I would share: this website is a great way to get good skins on the cheap. If you're going to be touring you should learn how to cut a pair of skins anyway. And if you're on a budget this is a great option. Check them out.

https://climbingskinsdirect.com/
7 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
Theyre actually exactly the same skis that BCA sells. There are a few caveats - notably the tip connector doesn't fit a lot of skis too well, and the rubber on it sometimes delaminates from what I've heard.. but cheap skins are cheap skins...
7 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
Interesting addition...

I just installed a black diamond skin tip to a pair for a customer who ripped out their skin tip on a pair of skins that have to be on their last legs from like 3 or 4 years of use. Not a bad product with that kinda longevity.
7 years ago
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cydwhit
Posts: 5079 - Karma: 43,074
DingoSeanInteresting addition...

I just installed a black diamond skin tip to a pair for a customer who ripped out their skin tip on a pair of skins that have to be on their last legs from like 3 or 4 years of use. Not a bad product with that kinda longevity.


Yeah, my lady friend is the same way. Like four of five harrrd seasons on 'em, and the tip and tail clips break, but the skin is still great. Wish I could say the same for my old G3's. I'm probably gonna have to pick up a few pairs. Also, it's real easy to just swap their shitty connectors for something better.
7 years ago
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methscratchface
Posts: 1204 - Karma: 4,446
thank you! i can barely get a season out of a pair anymore. Any glue issues? Im fed up with g3 glue.
7 years ago
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God
Posts: 416 - Karma: 672
methscratchfacethank you! i can barely get a season out of a pair anymore. Any glue issues? Im fed up with g3 glue.


Maybe you’ve had a fluke but g3 glue is the best I’ve had in comparison to black diamond, and pocomoa.
7 years ago
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blazeonyia
Posts: 365 - Karma: 1,451
No glue issues. As Dingo said, the tip and tail pieces are a bit cheap but they will do the trick.
7 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
methscratchfacethank you! i can barely get a season out of a pair anymore. Any glue issues? Im fed up with g3 glue.


Glue seems fine. Just store them correctly and you're good. At least as good as BD, i'd assume.
7 years ago
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cydwhit
Posts: 5079 - Karma: 43,074
GodMaybe you’ve had a fluke but g3 glue is the best I’ve had in comparison to black diamond, and pocomoa.


Not a fluke, I've had three pairs of G3's with terrible glue, and have at least 5 friends that will vouch for the terribleness that is G3 glue. I love BD glue in comparison. G3 glue gets so gross and sticky and lumpy and then gives up.
7 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
cydwhitNot a fluke, I've had three pairs of G3's with terrible glue, and have at least 5 friends that will vouch for the terribleness that is G3 glue. I love BD glue in comparison. G3 glue gets so gross and sticky and lumpy and then gives up.


I've had 2 different outcome with G3 skins.

One that has been perfect, works awesome, and the glue has held up just like any Black Diamond skin i've had or seen... That was a High Traction nylon skin from about 2 or maybe 3 years ago that's seen a shitload of use. I re-cut them for a different pair of skis this year. They don't glide for shit anymore because the fibres have gone the way of a used toothbrush (that is to say, very splayed out) but they grip like a motherfucker up just about any terrain, and the glue sticks just enough without being a goop mess. so that's cool.

The other was a Momix skin that has turned into a sheet of goo. I'm not sure if it got too hot in the summer storage, but I kinda doubt it as it was with other skins that didn't turn into a giant frogs tongue... Those skins are virtually useless now because the glue will leave an insane amount of residue on the bases and they wont even glide - to which, what's the point, if it's a mohair skin made specifically for better climbing?

So yeah. It's tough to say. I get the feeling G3 uses a couple different compounds and some really don't work well lol
7 years ago
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cydwhit
Posts: 5079 - Karma: 43,074
DingoSeanI've had 2 different outcome with G3 skins.

One that has been perfect, works awesome, and the glue has held up just like any Black Diamond skin i've had or seen... That was a High Traction nylon skin from about 2 or maybe 3 years ago that's seen a shitload of use. I re-cut them for a different pair of skis this year. They don't glide for shit anymore because the fibres have gone the way of a used toothbrush (that is to say, very splayed out) but they grip like a motherfucker up just about any terrain, and the glue sticks just enough without being a goop mess. so that's cool.

The other was a Momix skin that has turned into a sheet of goo. I'm not sure if it got too hot in the summer storage, but I kinda doubt it as it was with other skins that didn't turn into a giant frogs tongue... Those skins are virtually useless now because the glue will leave an insane amount of residue on the bases and they wont even glide - to which, what's the point, if it's a mohair skin made specifically for better climbing?

So yeah. It's tough to say. I get the feeling G3 uses a couple different compounds and some really don't work well lol


Yeah, that second outcome seems common? My roommate and I stored four pairs of different branded skins over the same summer, in the same place, and only the G3 ones became a steaming mess of unusable glue and fibre.
7 years ago
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methscratchface
Posts: 1204 - Karma: 4,446
G3 always lures me in with cheap prices but the g3 alpinist, high traction, and some other canadian flag model plus friend with splitboard backcountry branded g3 skins all failed and got globby and sticky. Pain in the dick to get all the residue off of bases too. My buddy swears by his BCA magic carpets that are old as fuck and look a lot like this company.
7 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
cydwhitYeah, that second outcome seems common? My roommate and I stored four pairs of different branded skins over the same summer, in the same place, and only the G3 ones became a steaming mess of unusable glue and fibre.


Yeah I've seen it in quite a few too many circumstances, to be honest. I'll still use my G3 skins that work well, but I really don't know what to do with the goopy pair at this stage... whether I could just iron it all off and reapply skin glue, or what...

All good though. I have a collection of skins that will still work in the interim.
7 years ago
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God
Posts: 416 - Karma: 672
cydwhitNot a fluke, I've had three pairs of G3's with terrible glue, and have at least 5 friends that will vouch for the terribleness that is G3 glue. I love BD glue in comparison. G3 glue gets so gross and sticky and lumpy and then gives up.


Haha maybe it’s been me that’s had the flukes then, I also might be biased though since G3 were my first skins and it might have built a bit of nostalgia. Sorry for misleading you.
7 years ago
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blazeonyia
Posts: 365 - Karma: 1,451
Update: Site down. Anyone have good (cheaper) skin reccos?
4 years ago
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sueddaht
Posts: 6 - Karma: 32
Check out skimo.com. I got some Ski Trab skins for $130. So far they have been awesome, and the company is italian and been around forever. skimo.com sells raw skin material by the foot, as well as independent tip and tail connectors. They were super helpful to me over the phone in making sure I had everything I needed. Easy to put together. Also hit up your local shop and ask if you can have an extra skin cutter. REI gave me one for free and I bet anywhere would since a lot of people buy skins (that come with cutters) and have a shop cut them to thier skis.

If you want to be super cheap just use a piece of wire, strong cord, or clotheshanger folded into the tip of the skin, and a rat tail connector for the tail as seen here: https://www.wildsnow.com/13689/rat-tail-climbing-skin-attach-tail/
4 years ago
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cydwhit
Posts: 5079 - Karma: 43,074
blazeonyiaUpdate: Site down. Anyone have good (cheaper) skin reccos?


https://skiskinsonline.com took over where CSD left off. I'm biased because I work with them, but IMO there's no better deal for durable, reliable skins.
4 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
cydwhithttps://skiskinsonline.com took over where CSD left off. I'm biased because I work with them, but IMO there's no better deal for durable, reliable skins.


And theyre not bad. I picked up a pair a while back. Actually, to replace a pair of BD skins that were absolutely chopped. I installed the tip and tail clips from that set of skins onto a pair of the naked Big Sky skins, and voila.

I actually almost sent them in to have them re-glued and decided to just go for freshies and have some unique skins... Since youre affiliated, whats the consensus from customers on the re-glue service? seems like a deal 65$... any skins that take particularly well to being reglued/any that dont?
4 years ago
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cydwhit
Posts: 5079 - Karma: 43,074
DingoSeanAnd theyre not bad. I picked up a pair a while back. Actually, to replace a pair of BD skins that were absolutely chopped. I installed the tip and tail clips from that set of skins onto a pair of the naked Big Sky skins, and voila.

I actually almost sent them in to have them re-glued and decided to just go for freshies and have some unique skins... Since youre affiliated, whats the consensus from customers on the re-glue service? seems like a deal 65$... any skins that take particularly well to being reglued/any that dont?


Yeah, naked BSMP's plus your own tip and tail hardware is the best IMO.

I haven't personally gotten a re-glue, but I know they tested a huge array of different skins to make sure their process worked, they've been testing and refining it for a long time. So when they list the few skins on their site that they can't re-glue, I'd assume that just about anything else will re-glue to about the quality of their regular glue, which is excellent.

It's just such a no-brainer, I feel like most skins get tossed because of the glue failing, not anything else, so anything we can do to keep 'em out of the landfill helps. And regluing at home is a total mess, I'd pay $65 just to not have to clean the house after I tried to reglue my skins last time haha.
4 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
cydwhitYeah, naked BSMP's plus your own tip and tail hardware is the best IMO.

I haven't personally gotten a re-glue, but I know they tested a huge array of different skins to make sure their process worked, they've been testing and refining it for a long time. So when they list the few skins on their site that they can't re-glue, I'd assume that just about anything else will re-glue to about the quality of their regular glue, which is excellent.

It's just such a no-brainer, I feel like most skins get tossed because of the glue failing, not anything else, so anything we can do to keep 'em out of the landfill helps. And regluing at home is a total mess, I'd pay $65 just to not have to clean the house after I tried to reglue my skins last time haha.


Lol I see they wont reglue the G3's with red or blue backing that always became goopy messes. I swear those were the worst. I even pulled some out of the box to give them to customers on occasion only to find them to be gross inside.

Is that why they dont reglue those? because by the time they end up there, theyre already too far gone?
4 years ago
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cydwhit
Posts: 5079 - Karma: 43,074
DingoSeanLol I see they wont reglue the G3's with red or blue backing that always became goopy messes. I swear those were the worst. I even pulled some out of the box to give them to customers on occasion only to find them to be gross inside.

Is that why they dont reglue those? because by the time they end up there, theyre already too far gone?


I don't know for sure why they won't do those, but I agree, those are the ABSOLUTE worst. So bad that in my larger touring group the running joke is someone saying "Hey guys, we're all thinking it..." and another person responding "...yep, fuck G3"
4 years ago
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blazeonyia
Posts: 365 - Karma: 1,451
cydwhithttps://skiskinsonline.com took over where CSD left off. I'm biased because I work with them, but IMO there's no better deal for durable, reliable skins.


I haven't been on in a while but thanks for this. Just found a 5 yr old pair of atomic automatics for cheap on craigslist. Going to turn them into a rock skiing-touring setup
4 years ago
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